On Thursday, the Omni Homestead Resort announced that the long-awaited moment is here – the Warm Springs Pools will officially reopen on Saturday, Dec. 17.

When you step inside the Omni Homestead Resort, you’ll now see a Christmas tradition.

On Sept. 15, a hot air balloon made its second trip to the skies at Omni Homestead Resort in support of its campaign for Hunger Action Month.

On Tuesday, 10 News took a trip to get a look at the progress, and a sneak peek at some of the most exciting changes.

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines in Southwest Virginia.

Monday marked the return of a century-old holiday tradition at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs.

Extensive work is starting on the outside, before moving to renovations inside

HOT SPRINGS, Va. – With many people staying indoors and limiting travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Forbes is stepping in to help. Forbes writer Peter Taylor compiled a list of 10 best places to travel and Bath County’s own Hot Springs made the list. Hot Springs was listed as a safe area to visit with a total of 246 coronavirus cases, 8 total deaths and no new cases in the past week. For history enthusiasts, Hot Springs is also home to the Omni Homestead Resort which 23 U.S. Presidents have stayed at in the past 200 years. After a relaxing day, you can go on a hike or bike riding right outside of the downtown area.

BATH COUNTY, Va. – Despite signs of hope amid the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism industry is still being hit hard, forcing the Omni Homestead Resort in Bath County to scale back its operations. Though guests are checking out, no one is checking in at the Homestead. “COVID-19 has definitely had a devastating impact on our resort, on Omni hotels and resorts and on our industry as a whole. “We have a very significant economic impact on the county in this region and so we don’t make these decisions lightly,” Swann said. It’s not yet clear what operations will look like beyond January, but Swann said the Homestead’s long-term viability is top of mind.

HOT SPRINGS, Va. – Kids love sending mail to the North Pole at Christmas, but now some children are putting their stamp on mail heading out of this world. It’s a place to step back in time, but one featured activity will be stepping into the future: postcards to space! I love space!’ I just love thinking about like what’s all up there,” said 7th grader, Brooke Hess. We carried 23 payloads today including thousands of postcards from kids all over the world for @ClubforFuture. The idea of postcards to space is certainly thinking outside the box.

There’s no arguing: Fall is one of the most breathtaking seasons in Virginia. Many are choosing to mark the season with a road trip, and the Alleghany Highlands region is a popular choice. Officials with the Omni Homestead Resort said fall is the perfect time to visit Hot Springs. Swann said with more than 2,000 acres, the Homestead has something for everyone this fall, from the Cascades Golf Course, to horseback and carriage rides, to hiking to Falling Spring Falls. Tourism officials said many choose to take their road trip further and make stops in places like Charlottesville, Richmond and Williamsburg.

The Omni Homestead Resort was forced to shut down for three months because of the pandemic. We closed the resort on March 29 and now three months later, June 29, we are reopening to our guests, said Lynn Swann, director of marketing and communications for the Omni Homestead Resort. The resort is also reopening to employees. Changes include barriers separating associates from guests, enforced social distancing, strict cleaning policies, daily health screenings for workers and limited amenities. The Homestead reopening is good news for the entire area, as the resort is Bath County's largest employer.

BATH COUNTY, Va. – One of the holiday traditions in Bath County played out in front of dozens of onlookers on Monday, the process of squeezing a massive Christmas tree through the doors at the Omni Homestead Resort. "The holiday traditions here at the Homestead are a longstanding tradition and we have guests that come from all over the country to experience it,” Hess said. Among those watching was the Stiles family, who traveled from Georgia. “To add this to our family tradition, to see the tree come up every year, it’s kind of special. The resort encourages the public to come to see the tree, which will be up through New Year’s Day.